Process for reacting an olefin with maleic anhydride to obtain an alkenyl succinic anhydride



United States Patent 3,412,111 PROCESS FOR REACTING AN OLEFIN WITH MALEIC ANHYDRIDE TO OBTAIN AN AL- KENYL SUCCINIC ANHYDRIDE Philip G. Irwin, Verona, and Charles M. Selwitz, Pitcairn,

Pa., assignors to Gulf Research & Development Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Filed June 2, 1965, Ser. No. 460,837 5 Claims. (Cl. 260346.8)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A process for reacting an olefin with a maleic anhydride to obtain an alkenyl succinic anhydride wherein the reaction is carried out in the presence of a hydroxy aromatic or an amino aromatic in order to reduce polymer during the reaction.

This invention relates to a process for reacting an olefin with a maleic anhydride to obtain an alkenyl succinic anhydride. Alkenyl succinic anhydrides can be employed as curing agents for epoxy resins, elastomers, rust inhibitors, anticorrosive agents, viscosity improvers, greases, demulsifying agents, slushing compounds, fungicides, plasticizers, surfactants, pharmaceuticals, etc.

Theoretically, one mol of a maleic anhydride can be added to one mol of an olefin to obtain an alkenyl succinic anhydride. In order to obtain an effective addition reaction, however, a molar excess of olefin is employed, for example, about 0.5 to about 20 mols of olefin per mol of the maleic anhydride. The reaction can be carried out by heating said reactants at a temperature of about 160 to about 300 C., preferably at a temperature of about 185 to about 225 C. over a period of time that can vary from about 0.1 to about 48 hours, preferably from about two to about eight hours. Any suitable pressure, preferably sufficient to maintain the reactants in liquid phase, can be employed, from about one to about 1000 pounds per square inch gauge, preferably from about to about 500 pounds per square inch gauge.

Any olefin having from three to 60 carbon atoms can be employed in the reaction with the maleic anhydride, although alpha olefin shaving from six to 30 carbon atoms, preferably from ten to 20 carbon atoms can be employed. Examples of such olefins are propylene, butene- 1, pentene-l, hexene-l, heptene-l, octene-l, nonene-l, decene-l, undecene-l, dodecene-l, tridecene-l, tetradecene-l, pentadecene-l, hexadecene-l, heptadecene-l, octadcene-l, nonadecene-l, eicosene-l, heneicosene-l, docosene-l, tricosene-l, tetracosene-l, pentacosene-l, hexacosene-l, heptacosene-l, octacosene-l, nonacosene-l, triacontene-l, hentriacontene-l, dotriacontene-l, tritriacontene-l, tetratriacontene-l, nonene-3, decene-4, 7- methyldecene-2, 7-methyldecene-1, 6,9-diethylundecene-1, 5,7-dimethyldodecene-1, 4,7,9-trimethy1tridecene-1, S-buty1tetradecadieue-1,5, 8-phenylpentadecene-1, 7-cyclohexylhexadecene-l, 11(alpha-cumyl) heptadecene-l, 6-butyloctadecadiene-1,11, 5-(2-norbornyl) nonadecene-l, 6-ethyleiscosene-l, 8-t-butyltricosene-1, 7-phenyldocosene-l, 4- methyloctene-l, 4-rnethylpentadecene-1, S-methylpentadecene-l, 8-methylpentadecene-1, 9-methylpentadecene-1, IO-phenyldecene-l, 10-cyclohexyldecene-l, 10-cyclooctyldecene-l, 4,5,6,7-tetramethyloctene1, 4,6,7-trimethyldecene-l, 4,6,7-trimethyldodecene-1, 9-chlorononene-1, 5- methoxydecene-l, 7,11-diphenylundecene-1, 11 -dodecen- 1-al, S-ketotridecene-l, decene-Z, 14-cyanopentadecene-1, IO-undecenoic acid, IS-n-hexadecenoic acid, isooctyl 16- m-heptadecanoate, 12-(alpha-cumyl)octadecene-l, 14- ketononadecene-l, 20-N-acetoxyaminoeicosene-1, 22-p tolyldocosene-l, 20-(b-thieno)tricosene-1, 20 (alpha- Patented Nov. 19, 1968 naphthyl)tetracosene-1, 12-keto-23-thiapentacosene-l, 17- bromoheptacosene-l, 28-cyanooctacosene-1, 20-acetoxynonacosene-l, 18-butoxytriacontene-1, 30-thia-dotriacontene-l, 30-oxa-tritriacontene-1, 24-aza-tetratriacontene-1, 4-trimethylsilylhexene-1, 1,2-epoxyheptene-6, 2-(7-methyl 1 1-decenyl)-1,4-benzoquinone, 10,1 1-difluoro-6,9-diethylundecene-l, 5,7-dimethyl-6-oxadodecene-1, 4,7-dimethyltridec-1-ene-9,10,11,l2 tetracarboxylic dianhydride, 4 butyltetradecadiene-1,5, 8-(p-chloromercuriphenyl)pentadecene-l, 7-(4-nitrocyclohexyl)hexadecene-l, ll-(alphacumyl)heptadecene-1, 6-(para-isopropylphenyl)decene-l, 5-(2-norbornyl) nonadecene-l, 6-butyloctadecadiene-1,11, B-tertiarybutyl-12-(2-4-dich1oro methyltetrahydrofuran)- tetradecene-l, 7-phenyl 10 (2-[6,6-dibromo3-oxabi cyclo(3.1.0)hexyl]) docosene-l, 4-methyloctene-1, 4 methylpentadecatetraene-1,4,7,12, diethyl 14 pentadecenyl-succinate, 8-diazomethyl pentadecene-l, 9-carboxymethyl pentadecene-l, 10-(2,3-diiodophenyl)decenc- 1, 10-(1,2,4-cyclohexadienyl) decene-l, IO-cyclopentyldecadiene-1,10, 4,7-diketo-10-cycloocty1decene-1, 4,5,6,7- tetrachloromethyloctene-1, 4,6,7-trinitromethyldecene-1, 4,6,7-triphenoxymethyl dodecene-l, tricontene-l, hexacontene-l, etc. The maletic anhydride can be maleic anhyride itself or a monosubstituted maleic anhydride, such as citraconic anhydride, ethylmaleic anhydride, methoxymaleic anhydride, etc.

The reaction product at the end of the reaction period can be treated in any suitable manner to recover the individual components therefrom. Thus, the reaction product can be distilled at a temperature of about 50 to about 250 C. and a pressure of about 10* to about 15 pounds per square inch gauge to recover separately therefrom unreacted olefin, unreacted maleic anhydride, if present, and the desired alkenyl succinic anhydride.

We have found, however, that during the procedure defined above leading to alkenyl succinic anhydride, an ap preciable amount of polymer is formed that cuts down on the efficiency of the reaction. While We are not certain we believe that the polymer formed results from reaction of the product alkenyl succinic anhydride with unreacted maleic anhydride. We have found, however, that if the olefin is reacted with the maleic anhydride under the conditions defined above in the presence of a controlled amount of a hydroxy aromatic or an amino aromatic compound the reaction efiiciency is increased and polymer formation is appreciably inhibited.

The hydroxy aromatic can be either a monoaromatic hydroxy or a diaromatic hydroxy compound. Examples of such compounds that can be employed are phenol, o-cresol, m-cresol, p-cresol, thymol, carvacrol, durenol, isodurenol, di-tertiary-butylhydroquinone, 2-, 3- and 4-aminophenols, hydroquinone, resorcinol, catechol, thymohydroquinone, olivetol, etc. Amino aromatics that can be employed can also be monoaromatic or diaromatic. Examples of such compounds that can be employed are phenothiazine, diphenylamine, 4,4-thio bis (6-tertiary-butyl-o-cresol'), tetramethyl thiuram disulfide, Z-aminodiphenylamine, 4- aminodiphenylamine, 4,4-diaminodiphenylamine, 2-hydroxydiphenylamine, 3-hydroxydiphenylamine, 4-hydroxydiphenylamine, di-Z-tolylamine, di-3-tolylamine, di-4-tolylamine, 3,4-ditolylamine, l-naphthylphenylamine, 2- naphthylphenylamine, l-naphthyl-Z-tolylamine, l-naphthyl-4-tolylamine, 2-naphthyl-2-tolylamine, 2-naphthyl-4- tolylamine, 9,10-dihydrophenazine, etc. The amount of hydroxy aromatic or amino aromatic employed can be from about 0.01 to about ten per cent by weight, preferably from about 0.1 to about three per cent by weight, relative to the maletic anhydride.

The reaction of the olefin with the maleic in the presence of the hydroxy aromatic or amino aromatic to obtain the alkenyl succinic anhydride is carried out as described hereinabove. The hydroxy aromatic or amino aromatic may be either solid or liquid. In any event, the mixture is stirred during the reaction. At the end of the reaction, the separate components, including the hydroxy aromatic or the amino aromatic, are separated from each other. In some cases, the added compound is lighter than some of the components in the reaction mixture and may be recovered prior to some of them. In the case wherein the defined additive is as heavy or heavier than the polymer that may be formed, it remains, of course, in the reaction zone.

The invention defined herein can be further illustrated by the following. Into a reactor which was maintained at atmospheric pressure there was added dodecene-l, maleic anhydride and a selected amount of a defined additive. The mixture was heated while stirring, and at the end of the reaction period was analyzed for its composition. The results obtained are set forth in the following table.

durenol, isodurenol, di-tertiary-butylhydroquinone, 2-, 3- and 4-aminophenols, hydroquinone, resorcinol, catechol, thymohy-droquinone, olivetol, and 2,2-di(p-hydroxyphenyl)propane, whereby the amount of polymer formed during said reaction is reduced.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said reaction is carried out in the presence of hydroquinone.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said reaction is carried out in the presence of 2,2'-di(p-hydroxyphenyl)propane.

4. In the process wherein an alpha olefin having from six to thirty carbon atoms is reacted with maleic anhydride at a temperature of about 160 to about 300 C. for about 0.1 to about 48 hours to obtain an alkenyl succinic anhydride, the improvement which comprises conducting said reaction in the presence of an amino aromatic selected from the group consisting of pheno- Additive None 2,2-di(phydroxy- Hydro- Phenophenyl) propane quinone thiazine Amount of Additive, Grams One One One One Temperature, C. 185-211 185-215 185-220 Time, Hours 8 7 7 Weight In, Grams:

Dodecene-l 337 337 380 337 Maleic Anhydride 98 98 115 08 Weight Out, Grams:

Dodecene-l 210 191 228 215 Maleic Anhydride 10 22 17 Dodecenylsuecinic Anhydi 163 180 220 173 Polymer 1 53 42 22 12 Conversion, Weight Percent Based On Maleie Anhydrida H0 78 64 Efficiency, Percent Based on Maleic Anhydirde 68 87 83 The advantage of operating in accordance with our process is apparent from a study of the data in the above table. Note that in each instance wherein an additive of the type defined was employed the amount of polymer formed was reduced substantially and the efliciency to alkenyl succinic anhydride was increased. In fact, when phenothiazine was employed the efliciency was increased to 100 percent.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention, as hereinabove set forth, can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In the process wherein an alpha olefin having from six to thirty carbon atoms is reacted with maleic anhydride at a temperature of about to about 300 C. for about 0.1 to about 48 hours to obtain an alkenyl succinic anhydride, the improvement which comprises conducting said reaction in the presence of an hydroxy aromatic compound selected from the group consisting of phenol, o-cresol, rn-cresol, p-cresol, thymol, carvacrol,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,288,714 11/1966 Osuch 260-346.8

NICHOLAS S. RIZZO, Primary Examiner.

DONALD G. DAUS, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,412 ,111 November 19, 1968 Philip G. Irwin et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 11, beginning with "4. In the process" cancel all to and including "reduced." in line 43, same column 4, and insert the following:

4. In the process wherein an alpha olefin having from six to thirty carbon atoms is reacted with maleic anhydride at a temperature of about 160 to about 300 C. for about 0.1 to about 48 hours to obtain an alkenyl succinic anhydride, the improvement which comprises conducting said reaction in the presence of an amino aromatic selected from the group consisting of phenothiazine, diphenylamine, 4.4thio-bis(6tertiarybutyl o-cresol) tetramethyl thiuram disulfide, Z-aminodiphenylamine, 4-aminodiphenylamine, 4,4-diaminodipheny1- amine, Z-hydroxydiphenylamine, 3-hydroxydiphenylamine, 4-hydroxydiphenylamine, di-Z-tolylamine, di-3-toly1amine, di-4-tolylamine, 3,4-ditolylamine, l-naphthylphenylamine, Z-naphthylphenylamine, 1-naphthyl-2-toly1amine, l-naphthyl- 4-tolylamine, Z-naphthyl-Z-tolylamine, 2-naphthyl-4-tolylamine, 9,10-dihydrophenzine, whereby the amount of polymer formed during said reaction is reduced.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of March 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR. Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

